2023 Jajarkot earthquakeवि.सं. २०८० जाजरकोट भूकम्प
Nepal's deadliest earthquake since 2015 despite its moderate size. Striking near midnight in Karnali Province, it killed 153 people — most in fragile stone-and-mud homes — and sits at the eastern edge of the worrying western-Nepal seismic gap.
See how this event fits into Nepal's wider history, and explore the districts across the affected region.
Magnitude
ML 6.4 (NSC) / Mw 5.7 (USGS)
see note below
Deaths
153
153 (101 in Jajarkot, 52 in West Rukum)
Date
3 November 2023
17 Kartik 2080 BS
Depth
18 km
Ramidanda, Jajarkot District, Karnali Province
Magnitude note: Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center measured local magnitude 6.4; USGS moment magnitude was 5.7 — different scales, not a contradiction.
Epicentre in context
The highlighted circle is this event; the others show Nepal's full major-earthquake record.
Impact
153 people were killed (101 in Jajarkot, 52 in West Rukum) and at least 375 injured; some tallies say 154 owing to different counting dates.
Tens of thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed, exposing survivors to a Himalayan winter; the night-time timing and unreinforced masonry drove the death toll.
The event occurred at the eastern edge of the western Nepal seismic gap — the >500 km stretch of the Main Himalayan Thrust that has not ruptured in a great quake since ≈1505.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake?+
The 2023 Jajarkot earthquake had a magnitude of ML 6.4 (NSC) / Mw 5.7 (USGS). It ruptured at a depth of about 18 km. Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center measured local magnitude 6.4; USGS moment magnitude was 5.7 — different scales, not a contradiction.
When did the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake happen?+
It struck on 3 November 2023, 23:47 NPT (17 Kartik 2080 BS in the Bikram Sambat calendar).
How many people died in the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake?+
Deaths: 153 (101 in Jajarkot, 52 in West Rukum). Injuries: ≥375 injured.
Where was the epicentre of the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake?+
The epicentre was at Ramidanda, Jajarkot District, Karnali Province, at coordinates 28.84°N, 82.19°E.
Sources & data note
Figures for the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake as documented by the listed sources. Historical epicentres are approximate.